ANOTHER ONE

TOMIYASU SIGNED A NEW DEAL.

We all love it.

Worth noting that Edu and Richard Garlick opted to give him a 2 yr extension (option for one yr), instead of the 3-5 everyone has been signing onto.

This reflects two things for me:

1. Lack of availability is a concern and has affected his long-term value
2. 2 years means we have a get-out-of-jail-free card if he doesn’t get fitter
3. He’ll be a potential exit next summer

This feels a little like the Aaron Ramsdale deal. If we sign someone like Hato in the summer, our mix of defenders might see Tomi’s opportunities shrink.

We’ll see though. He might come back to life fitness-wise and stake a long-term claim in the starting 11. Feels unrealistic, but you never know.

Overall, this is a great for the squad. Another player commits. The boys who brought the club back for life are getting paid the fur coat dollars. We’re retaining the culture keepers.

The only deal that needs to be signed now is the Mikel Arteta one. He’ll be looking for guarantees over summer business and I would suspect he’ll be hoping for a fat rise from his £159k a week deal.

Klopp, according to the DFB, was getting £21m base + £21m image rights/advertising.

Where would Arteta fit in the scale of pay? He’s delivered improvements consistently over 4 years now. He’s moved the club forward faster than projections. He is the generational saucy coach I said he’d be.

Will they pay him like he’s one?

I don’t doubt it, I have to say.

One year left on his deal. The super club vultures will be circling, no doubt.

News on the injury front has been promising… Bukayo Saka has been sent home as a precaution. That’s great news. Put him in his cryo-chamber and let him heal so he’s fresh and ready for that City game.

Arsenal were SPANKED in a 0-4 QPR game. According to Arseblog, Tomi and Partey were the only two first-teamers that started. That means the Jurrien Timber comeback tour is behind schedule and we won’t be seeing him for the City game. It’s worth noting that Courtois of Madrid has had a big setback with a meniscus injury post-ACL issue. Returns from injury are rarely linear – no no need to panic. The most sensible thing Arteta can do is give the player as much time as he needs. When he returns, we want him to stay returned.

Right, that’s me done for today… we are having a meek week for news. Check out our latest Therapy Session with Jacob and Matt.